Need Advice

[ahblaza]

Hey guys,
I just bought a Panny DMP-BDT500 player, I'm still trying to set this thing up, I really don't like the touch screen, anyway the only reason I bought this player is because the rave reviews on the analog stage with CD playback. It also supposedly has excellent video and audio through HDMI. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone, good BD and CD player in a single package. Well I haven't had the chance to find out, as setting this thing up is a nightmare, maybe not to the gurus here but a layman like myself I want plug and play with button and on screen navigation. This screen touch pad is driving me crazy. My Panny BD-85 was an excellent player and never used it as a CD player, even though it had 7.1 analog outs, I bought it for my Legacy receiver which was non HDMI. Well there is a point to this thread, I'm contemplating sending this player (500) back and getting an Oppo 103. To those that own the 103 how is it's analog playback, I'm thinking that it is not much better in the analog playback than the 500 to warrant the $ difference, I think I would have to get the 105 to see a significant SQ difference with CD playback over the 500. So I'm asking if I should get the 103 and return the 500, and if anyone has experience with the analog audio quality of the 103. I do realize the 103 has it's advantages, as it is a universal player, but I don't have any other media except CD and BD to use in either player. But if were to get the 103 I might start to look at some DVD-A and SACD. Hey guys, sorry for the rambling, I just need some opinions from both sides of the fence 500 or 103, this is the last component I will hopefully have to buy to complete my revamped two channel and HT rig. PLEASE HELP an old newb at this stuff.
Cheers Jeff

[j_garcia]

If you don't like how it works you sort of only have a few choices: learn to like and use it, send it back, or get a 10yr old to do it (j/k). It is like setting the clock on the VCR - not setting it meant it was either too complicated or you don't care. In this case, if you can't get basic things to work without configuring a bunch of stuff then I'd call that a problem.

[TLS Guy]

Hey guys,
I just bought a Panny DMP-BDT500 player, I'm still trying to set this thing up, I really don't like the touch screen, anyway the only reason I bought this player is because the rave reviews on the analog stage with CD playback. It also supposedly has excellent video and audio through HDMI. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone, good BD and CD player in a single package. Well I haven't had the chance to find out, as setting this thing up is a nightmare, maybe not to the gurus here but a layman like myself I want plug and play with button and on screen navigation. This screen touch pad is driving me crazy. My Panny BD-85 was an excellent player and never used it as a CD player, even though it had 7.1 analog outs, I bought it for my Legacy receiver which was non HDMI. Well there is a point to this thread, I'm contemplating sending this player (500) back and getting an Oppo 103. To those that own the 103 how is it's analog playback, I'm thinking that it is not much better in the analog playback than the 500 to warrant the $ difference, I think I would have to get the 105 to see a significant SQ difference with CD playback over the 500. So I'm asking if I should get the 103 and return the 500, and if anyone has experience with the analog audio quality of the 103. I do realize the 103 has it's advantages, as it is a universal player, but I don't have any other media except CD and BD to use in either player. But if were to get the 103 I might start to look at some DVD-A and SACD. Hey guys, sorry for the rambling, I just need some opinions from both sides of the fence 500 or 103, this is the last component I will hopefully have to buy to complete my revamped two channel and HT rig. PLEASE HELP an old newb at this stuff.
Cheers Jeff

Jeff, you have been sniffing the audiophools coffee and may be their armpits.

I think this issue of video disc players having substandard analog outputs is nonsense. You would have to work hard to make it bad. All use very standard opamps costing about $0.50 a piece, that have much better performance than the tube stages audiophools like to insert.

At our Eagan home we have an older $70 Sony DVD player and it is fine. You would not tell it from a CD player costing thousands.

I have just listened to the discs of Misuko Uchida playing the five Beethoven piano concertos with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle. This is a double DVD sent to purchaser of a season ticket to their Digital Concert Hall. It is a bitterly cold night here and I"m sitting by the fore downstairs. The system here uses largely older superb electronics. I'm playing the loss less PCM audio tracks from the analog outputs of a $120 Panasonic BD player. The sound is gorgeous. There is nothing wrong with it all. The player was easy to set up and use.

It sounds as if your player was designed by a committee of nerdy twots. I would get rid of it and not fight with it. A cheap player will have perfectly good sound from the analog outputs. If you want SACD that is another issue. DVD audio is dead, and SACD I hope is dying. SACD is an awkward format that is hard to get really good results from. As far as disc formats go the best audio comes from BD in my opinion.

[fuzz092888]

Yea Jeff, listen to TLS Guy. As to the oppo, only you can decide of it's worth the money, but I love my 95. It's easy to use and will more or less function as plug and play for you as well as being considered a pretty high quality player. There are probably cheaper ones out there that will perform fine, but I think you'd really like a 103. However, if you can find a used 93 or 95 I think you'd be just as happy and save a few hundred bucks.

[psbfan9]

Jeff, I have a Sony BDP S570 and really like it. Easy to use, set up, and is compatible with SACD. I use it mostly to stream music, play CD's, and SACD's. Sound and video quality are very good.

Amazon.com: Sony BDP-S570 3D Blu-ray Disc Player: Electronics

[Swerd]

Hey guys,
I just bought a Panny DMP-BDT500 player, I'm still trying to set this thing up, I really don't like the touch screen

I also have the same Panny and I also initially hated the touch screen remote. I did get used to it, and now it isn't a problem. I find there's a learning curve for any new remote.

I bought the Panny 500 to replace an older DVD player. I wanted to be able to play Blue Ray, and I wanted the 7.1 analog audio out puts for a non-HDMI receiver. If you already had 7.1 analog audio outs in the BD-85, I don't understand why you bought the newer and probably more expensive 500.

I'm contemplating sending this player (500) back and getting an Oppo 103.

I would consider that a waste of money.

Jeff, you have been sniffing the audiophools coffee and may be their armpits.

LOL . I have to agree.

I originally hooked up the Panny 500 so that all movies and CDs sent analog audio from the 500 to my receiver. Since then, I added a digital line from the 500 to the receiver so that I could compare CDs played through the Panny DAC or the receiver's DAC. My initial observations are that there is no detectable difference in sound. There may be some music that may allow me to hear a difference, but I haven't found that yet.

[ahblaza]

Thanks Guys for all your very funny and informative replies, I must have been sniffing armpits and throwing a hissy fit at the same time. Anyway this machine sounds gorgeous from both analog and digital outs, it really is a plug and play unit, GUI is easy to use (and thanks John for your 10 yr. old remark. When I settled down and began to think (which in my case can be dangerous) I thought to myself why not try the 85 remote and the rest is history. As Mark and Rich have observed it really does sound wonderful, I got it for pennies on the dollar, and then my audiophool mentality kicked in and said go spend more money on the 103, I don't have SACD or DVD-A, so yes I was sniffing something. I think my wife could have set this thing up. Anyway, thanks guys for bringing me back to earth, I watched a couple of BD's last night and must say video and audio were quite impressive with all the other sound altering options turned off. Alex, thanks for the vote of confidence. I believe CD playback is as good as it could get with this inexpensive player, tried some Bass Mekanic today and the wife was yelling from upstairs that her nik-naks were rattling on her shelves with the 10-15 Hz tones played through the PSA XS30s nice Thanks again to all for an entertaining read. I know I asked you guys to be my friends for a reason
Cheers Jeff

[ahblaza]

PSB, thanks to you my friend also.
Jeff

[afterlife2]

You can always get a used Oppo 980H for about $120.00ish It's plays CD's beautifully and also plays DVD-A and SACD, but no BD. This was one of the last players before they started making BD players. I love mine so much.
Look! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oppo-Digital...item2a28bcdb2d

[Alex2507]

Jeff, I've got the same player because BMXTRIX recommended it to Swerd. Oddly enough I didn't have any trouble setting it up. The pad is kind of different but I see that you've cheated your way past that obstacle. You should give it a chance. It's not that bad. I heard from Markw that the BD-85 had trouble with the 8 channel analog outs. I take it you had no trouble from yours but then again maybe you never used the full 8 channel out option.

But yes, you should get the most expensive Oppo out there because it's what I lust after.